Report | Swansea City 0 Queens Park Rangers 1
Steve Cook’s volley ensured Swansea City fell to defeat against Queens Park Rangers at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The Swans had the chances to claim all three points themselves, with Matt Grimes hitting the crossbar and Aimar Govea also being denied by the woodwork; while Jerry Yates, Ollie Cooper and Ronald unable to convert good opportunities.
And their frustration was only added to when Cook struck with 19 minutes remaining to give the visitors the spoils.
The Swans had shown four changes from the Good Friday draw with Sheffield Wednesday as Joe Allen, Yates, Jamal Lowe and Cooper all came into the team.
Wearing the commemorative kit to mark 30 years since the Swans won the Autoglass Trophy on their first trip to Wembley, the hosts enjoyed a bright opening as they penned the visitors back.
But it was Rangers who had the first chance of the game, Carl Rushworth palming away a Paul Smyth cross, before Lyndon Dykes saw a header blocked by Nathan Wood.
Ilias Chair also forced the Swansea keeper into a save, before the hosts responded as Josh Key motored upfield only to be pushed over as he approached the penalty box, although referee Sam Allison was unmoved.
Joe Allen then saw an effort blocked from a Ronald lay-off, after a deep cross from Josh Tymon had found the Brazilian.
Tymon was having plenty of joy down the left, and an excellent delivery from the full-back saw Jake Clarke-Salter slice an attempted clearance over his own bar.
Key and Ronald then got in down the other flank, with Cook heading another cross over his own bar.
The Swans then suffered a blow as Allen was forced off 11 minutes before the break, with Jay Fulton his replacement.
It then took two superb pieces of defending to prevent the visitors taking the lead.
Wood made a brilliant block as Joe Hodge prepared to shoot after Chair had led a quick counter, before Darling cleared off the line from a follow-up.
The Swans then spurned a big chance as Lowe’s pin-point cross to the far post found Ronald’s run, but Asmir Begovic made the save with his foot, before also palming away a well-struck volley from Tymon as it remained goalless at the break.
Swansea had another opportunity early in the second half, with Yates heading wide from another Tymon cross.
The Swans continued to press, Grimes sending a lovely flighted effort from a free-kick against the bar with Begovic beaten before the keeper got down to deny Cooper from a Yates pass.
Yates tried his luck himself just past the hour mark, after Fulton had pressed and won the ball, but Begovic was equal to his low strike.
At the other end Lucas Andersen fired straight into the gloves of Rushworth before Williams sent on Jamie Paterson, Liam Cullen and Liam Walsh as the final 20 minutes neared.
But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock when Cook flashed a volley beyond Rushworth after Jimmy Dunne had headed a deep corner back across goal.
Walsh and Grimes had fierce volleys blocked by red and white shirts, before Govea's deep cross caught out Begovic and came back off the post as the Bosnian tried to claw it away to sum up Swansea's afternoon.
Swansea City: Carl Rushworth, Josh Key, Harry Darling, Joe Allen (Jay Fulton 35), Matt Grimes (captain), Jerry Yates (Liam Cullen 67), Jamal Lowe (Jamie Paterson 67), Josh Tymon, Nathan Wood, Ollie Cooper (Liam Walsh 67), Ronald (Aimar Govea 83).
Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Ben Cabango, Charlie Patino, Azeem Abdulai.
Queens Park Rangers: Asmir Begovic (captain), Morgan Fox, Jimmy Dunne, Lyndon Dykes (Lucas Andersen 58), Jack Colback (Isaac Hayden 58), Ilias Chair (Chris Willock 74), Jake Clarke-Salter, Sam Field, Joe Hodge (Sinclair Armstrong 46), Paul Smyth (Michael Frey 81), Steve Cook.
Substitutes: Joe Walsh, Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Reggie Cannon, Ziyad Larkeche.
Referee: Sam Allison
Attendance: 19,704